This invention relates to a new copolymer derived from acetoxystyrene and vinylpyridine.
Various copolymers of p-acetoxystyrene and other polymerizable monomers are known in the art and have miscellaneous end uses. For example, Japanese Kokai Nos. 77 35779, published Mar. 18, 1977, and 77 58087, published May 13, 1977, disclose copolymers of p-acetoxystyrene and divinylbenzene which are hydrolyzed, treated with paraformaldehyde and dimethyl amine or pyrolidine, and quaternized with methyl bromide or dimethyl sulfate to obtain anion exchange resins. Japanese Kokai No. 77 35189, published Mar. 17, 1977, teaches the sulfonation of copolymers of p-acetoxystyrene and a polyene compound such as divinylbenzene to obtain microporous cation exchange resins. Arshady et al., "Phenolic Resins for Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis: Copolymerization of Styrene and p-Acetoxystyrene", J. Polymer Science: Polymer Chemistry Edition, Vol. 12, 2017-2025 (1974), show copolymers of styrene, p-acetoxystyrene, and divinyl benzene used to produce cross-linked resins for solid phase peptide synthesis.
In addition to the foregoing, the prior art also shows different polymers of p-vinylphenol for various applications. Thus, Japanese Patent Publication No. 34902/1978 teaches compositions comprising a polymer having more than 20 mole percent of p-hydroxystyrene (i.e., p-vinylphenol) and an aromatic azide compound, which are useful for photoresist, relief printing plate, and offset printing plate applications. German Offenlegungschrift DE No. 3,311,129, published Apr. 7, 1982, shows corrosion-resistant waterborne coatings useful on phosphated metals based on solutions of aminomethylated poly(4-vinylphenols) prepared by reacting poly(4-vinylphenol) with formaldehyde and methylhydroxyethyl amine. Furuya (Res. Inst. Polym. Text., Yatabe, Japan) Kenkyu Hokuku-Sen'i Kobunshi Zairyo Kenkyusho 1981, (129), 13-16 (Japan), abstracted in Chemical Abstracts 95: 2205-45h, shows the reaction of poly (p-vinylphenol) and diazotized 3- or 4-substituted aniline to obtain polymers which produce complexes with copper. Such polymers would thus appear to be useful as metal chelating agents.
Copolymers of dialkyl muconates and polymerizable co-monomers are also known in the art. Thus, Bando et al., Journal of Polymer Science, Polymer Chemistry Edition, Vol. 15, 1917-1926, (1977), disclose copolymers of diethyl muconate with styrene, acrylonitrile or 2-vinylpyridine.
The prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,730 also discloses copolymers of acetoxystyrene and a polyunsaturated carboxylic ester.
However, none of the prior art disclosed above provides a suitable polymeric material which has unique solubility properties over a wide pH range in both aqueous and non-aqueous media.